


The Founders

by marey_writes



Category: Chronicles of Narnia (Movies), Chronicles of Narnia - All Media Types, Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:21:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29385483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marey_writes/pseuds/marey_writes
Summary: Edmund and Lucy Pevensie struggle to get back to Narnia after their older siblings move to America. When they finally think they've made it, a strange group of teenagers pull them from a lake and introduce themselves as wizards. Cue the Marauders.
Relationships: Edmund Pevensie & Lucy Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie/Original Female Character(s), Sirius Black & Remus Lupin & Peter Pettigrew & James Potter, Sirius Black/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the very first chapter of The Founders: A Marauders x Narnia Fanfiction. I will always put any sort of CW before each chapter to be as empathetic to my readers as possible.

Edmund – 1941  
After the embarrassment of being turned away at the enlistment office—thanks to his younger sister, Lucy—Edmund was hoping to find some peace at his Uncle's house. His parents had left him and Lucy alone with the Scrubb’s due to the war. Unfortunately for the pair of siblings, the Scrubb’s were awful. Not only did they treat the young Pevensies as their live-in servants, but their son—eleven-year-old Eustace—is going to be Edmund’s downfall.

Eustace is a foul human in Edmund's eyes, and he would happily toss him to a pack of greedy lions if he had a chance. The boy had a knack for annoying Edmund; blaming everything on his cousin, rifling through his things, and finding new ways to make fun of Lucy's kindhearted, imaginative nature. Although Edmund and Lucy seemed to be two sides of a different coin, they were rather close, and Edmund would not let the disgusting halfwit they call Eustace make fun of his family.

Lucy was a soft spirited, dangerously polite young girl, but she could burst with courage and rage if her family and friends were threatened. While Edmund did not always understand how Lucy could control her emotions so well and use them when need be, he was envious of her boldness. It was always something he wanted to have for himself. On the other side, Lucy was inspired by Edmund's push for justice. The boy who focused on logic and ways to further his position also found any and every way to keep law and order, oftentimes punishing wrong doers. While this seems exceptionally kind, at times Edmund may lose his ability to discover right and wrong, only seeing what was right for him and those he cares about.

Both siblings together were a powerful duo, but always felt incomplete without their older siblings, Peter and Susan. The eldest children were adventuring in America with their father and the youngest were jealous. Here they were, stuck miserable with the Scrubb's while their siblings were with their father galivanting in America. They understood the war was making it difficult for their family to arrange means by which the youngest were to travel to and live in America, but their selfish sides just kept dreaming of escaping their current circumstance.

Edmund was in the middle of trying to attack Eustace—who tattled on his cousin not even five minutes after they returned home—when Lucy pulled him from his thoughts. She was rifling through the mail when her eyes brightened at one specific letter.

"Edmund look!" Edmund glanced down at Lucy from his place on the steps. Eustace was cowering under his body whilst shouting for his father's help and Lucy waved the letter in her right hand. "It's from Susan!"

Edmund grinned as Lucy led the way into a small guest room that they escaped to often to avoid Eustace, but after him discovering them in there two weeks ago they had lost the comfort of the quiet that they so desired. Once she settled on the bed, Lucy began to read Susan's neatly written letter.

"I do wish you were here with us. It is such an adventure, though nothing compared to our times in Narnia. Being in America is very exciting, but we never see Father. He works so very hard.

I have been invited to the British Counsel Tea by a naval officer who happens to be very handsome. I think he fancies me. It seems the Germans have made the passing rather difficult. Times are hard. Mother hopes you both won't mind another few months in Cambridge."

Edmund had found his way to the odd ocean painting that decorated the otherwise white and plain room as Lucy read the letter aloud. Once Lucy read the news of staying, Edmund's face contorted into a scowl.

"Another few months?" Lucy whined as she gripped the letter in her lap. "How will we survive?"

"You're lucky," Edmund sighed as he snatched the letter from Lucy and sat down on the bed beside her. "At least you've got your own room. I'm stuck with mullet mouth."

Lucy stood and drifted over towards the small rectangular mirror hanging on the wall next to the painting. As she began admiring her face, she spoke. "Susan and Pete are the lucky ones. Off on adventures in America."

"Yeah, well they're the oldest. We're the youngest. We don't matter as much," Edmund shrugged as he glanced up in time to see Lucy push a strand of hair behind her ear and try to smile flirtatiously at her reflection. Edmund rolled his eyes and looked back at the letter before laying down.

"Do you think I look anything like Susan?" Lucy turned around, fingers still self-consciously fixing the ends of her hair with a delicate touch. Edmund ignored her question, standing up with a sigh and making his way to the painting once more. Lucy was gorgeous, but she was going through the younger sister stage where she compared everything she is and has done to Susan.

"Lucy, have you noticed this ship?" Edmund said as he ran his finger over the painted waves and the small ship in the distance.

"Yes," She grinned as she walked up behind him, peering over his shoulder. "It looks like a Narnian ship."

Edmund nodded thoughtfully, never taking his eyes off the ship. His eyes narrowed slightly as he squinted to see it, a small frown pulling at the edge of his lips as he thought of their past times in Narnia. The painting showed simple, unrealistic waves with a tiny ship in the distance, barely noticeable at first glance. "Yes, just another reminder that we're here and not there."

"Ah look," Eustace's prickly voice drew goosebumps of hatred onto Edmund's skin. "It's the two orphans who waste their time believing in Narnia nursery rhymes."

"Please let me hit him," Edmund glared at the young boy as he turned and started towards him. Lucy held his arm to keep him back. "No," she sighed.

"Don't you ever knock?" Edmund rolled his eyes. His shoulders stayed tense, but he did not try to make his way towards Eustace any longer.

"This is my house. I don't have to knock. I can do as I please," Eustace stuck his nose higher into the air as he sat on the bed across from the painting. He barely glanced at the picture before scowling. "What's so interesting about that picture anyways? It's hideous."

"You wouldn't see it on the other side of the door," Edmund huffed as he and Lucy continued to stare at the water. Taking in the artist’s choice of whites and blues that covered nearly three fourths of the canvas to depict water.

"Edmund, it looks like the water is actually moving," Lucy fawned. The waves seemed to be doing just that as the different colors began rocking back and forth.

"That's rubbish!" Eustace rolled his eyes. His voice was shrill as he began a long rant. "That's what happens when you read all those fanciful novels and fairytales."

"There once was a boy named Eustace, who read books full of facts which were useless," Edmund mocked the boy, pretending as if he did not even exist. Lucy left out a small huff of breath which passed for a laugh.

"People who read fairytales are always the ones who become hideous burdens to people like me, who read books of real information," Eustace's words annoyed Edmund terribly so he turned once more to get into the boy's face.

Lucy ignored the boys as they argued about candies that Eustace had stolen and blamed on Edmund. The different shades of blue waves began moving more and more and Lucy was taken aback when water splashed on her face. For anyone else, this mysterious moment would throw them into a sea of doubt, surely, they were insane, but for the Pevensie’s, this was everything they could have hoped for.

"Edmund..." Lucy tried to get her brother's attention, but the boy was still in a heated argument with their cousin. More water began to splash out of the painting and Lucy knew there was no way she was imagining it. Water began pouring into the room quickly and the two boys finally noticed when water began to seep into their shoes, soaking their feet and ankles.

Edmund and Lucy grinned at each other, both imagining that Narnia was calling them. Eustace, however, began panicking pulling the painting from the wall. Edmund was quick to snatch the other side and began playing a game of tug-a-war in hopes of preventing Eustace from ruining their chances.

The room began to fill even faster with water when the painting fell from their grips to the floor, soon the water was up to their waists and still rising. The kids continued trying to stay afloat as the water rose, pulling their feet off the ground unsteadily. The rush of water causing the three to spin uncontrollably under the water as they tried to adjust themselves to the top.

As they tried to surface, they didn’t notice when the ceiling morphed magically into the sky or when the bits of furniture and clothes began disappearing. As soon as their faces broke water, they began coughing roughly and gasping for air.

Lucy was the first to begin taking in their surroundings. They seemed to be in a lake now with a forest wrapping around one side and a large castle of some sort up the hill. Edmund grabbed Lucy's arm as he began pulling her to the shoreline. They didn't notice the five teenagers who were running over to help the two strangers out of the water. They also didn’t notice the lack of their cousin Eustace. And they absolutely had no idea that they didn't make it to Narnia with their cousin, but rather to Hogwarts circa 1974.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the prologue of my first ever fanfiction!


	2. unexpectedly expected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where Sirius gets too comfortable for James' liking, there's an uncomfortable one-sided reunion, and Hogwarts gains two new students.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> serendipity /serənˈdipədē/  
> noun  
> finding something good without looking for it

Natalie - 1976  
"You lot are going to get expelled one day," Natalie laughed as she strolled up behind her little brother, James, and his friends. The girl messed up James' hair as he scowled at her. Natalie's voice caused Sirius to turn quickly and beam at the girl. He has had a crush on her since the moment he met her.

"Who says that's not the end goal?" Sirius winked at Natalie who rolled her eyes at the gesture. She had been getting use to his obvious crush and bold flirting. James laughed as he threw his arm around Natalie's shoulder.

"Just think," James smiled down at her. Natalie always thought it unfair that her brother and two of his friends were taller than her even though they are all a year younger than her. Though, she could always count on Peter Pettigrew, the smallest of the quartet, to be shorter than her. "If we get expelled you won't have to deal with Sirius at school anymore."

"Not true," Sirius piped up as he scrambled to Natalie's side making her a sandwich between the two of them. "I'd find a way to see you, Nat."

"While that may be true," Natalie addressed James and completely ignored Sirius's futile attempts at wooing her. "Then I won't get to have my favorite boys with me."

"Aw, Natalie," James started to stick out his bottom lip but Natalie shrugged his arm off and interrupted him.

"Not you, James," Natalie stopped walking so she fell into step with Remus and Peter. She hooked her arms with theirs and pushed past the two gawking idiots with a chuckling Remus and blushing Peter. "Remmy and Pete will always be my favorites."

James was a boisterous boy and had met the lot of them in first year after being sorted into Gryffindor and sharing a dorm. Sirius had taken a liking to her brother, despite spending the first month having a breakdown over not being sorted into Slytherin, and they both realized that they complimented the other perfectly. They spent a lot of their time in detention, one always with the other, because of pranks or disturbances that always seemed to be caused by them. The smallest boy, Peter, had tagged along with the four of them but seemed less outgoing and more fearful when they pranked. Remus was a bit of a hassle for Natalie to figure out at first. He seemed to be the anchor of the Marauders, as they had taken a liking of calling themselves, but it wasn’t until Natalie began to hang out with the four that she realized he was indeed the anchor, but not in the way she had assumed. Remus, while originally coming across as the mature Marauder who disapproved of their antics, was actually the smartest of the lot and the secret mastermind behind nearly all of their pranks.

With a small wink to the other two boys, Natalie led Remus and Peter to their rock that sat on the shoreline of the Black Lake, that they often sat by. James and Sirius trailed after the three as Natalie lied down on the grass, her knees bent with her head propped up on the bag she was carrying. Her skirt raising dangerously up her thigh, but she didn't seem to notice—or rather—mind, and neither did Sirius who openly gawked at her long legs.

"Merlin, Nat," James scoffed as he tugged her skirt down causing her legs to lay flat against the itchy grass. She laughed. "I don't feel like beating up Sirius today."

James' words caused the rest of the group to join in on Natalie’s laughter. They all sat in a circle so they could talk. The boys usually used this time to plan pranks and talk about girls, sometimes even asking Natalie for her opinion and advice. Natalie usually spent the time reading or pretending to read and listening to their conversations simply out of boredom.

"Did you guys see Lily today?" James sighed blissfully, his entire face lighting up as Lily's name fell from his lips.

"Sadly, I was forced to watch you make an utter arse of yourself in the Great Hall today at breakfast when she rejected you again," Natalie rolled her eyes at the mention of Lily. She knew her brother could be annoying and pompous at times, but she definitely thought he deserved better than a girl who felt the need to completely crush him every day. She didn't know if it was a big sister thing, but she simply didn't like the girl. Given, she didn’t really know the girl, her interactions with her being limited to watching her reject her brother—quite harshly she might add—and watching her scold her friends when they wouldn’t study with her in the library or common room.

All of the boys snorted with laughter—except James—at Natalie's sarcastic retort. When they noticed James pouting, they all offered half-sincere apologies, but never ceased their laughter. James rolled his eyes before a grin fell onto his face. He tackled Sirius into a random wrestling match and Natalie watched bored as they thrashed around in the grass, neither of the boys getting an obvious advance on the other.

She felt water droplets hit her face and gasped sharply. She looked into the sky to check for rain clouds, but as expected, the sky was completely clear. Just as she was willing to chalk it up to her being utterly insane, more water hit her, and she didn't have time to think before she heard Peter speak up.

"Who the bloody hell is that?" Natalie followed his gaze into the black lake where the group saw two people thrashing about in the water. They were all on their feet in a moment, walking the few steps to the water in order to investigate the strangers. When Natalie saw two kids around their age stumbling out of the water, she stepped into the lake, soaking her legs up to her knees and offered her hand to help.

The boy with dark black hair grabbed her hand and stood locking eyes with Natalie. Droplets of water ran down his face and body as he shivered. It was already late September, so the air was beginning to have a chill to it. His face warped into a confused expression as he took in the five students around them. The young girl let out a sharp gasp as she fell and cut her hand on a sharp rock on the shoreline. Remus rushed to help while Natalie examined the two strangers closely.

The girl had auburn hair that shone a red tint in the sun light—although may have been lighter if it were dry—and bright blue eyes. She had pale skin littered with freckles and she held a bright smile as she glanced around at the group. She wore a rather old looking outfit, seemingly out of place in 1974, that was composed of a long, green and blue, plaid skirt with a light blue blouse and dark blue cardigan.

The boy had extremely dark brown hair—appearing black with the water—that hung down on his forehead and hazel eyes that shimmered slightly in the sun. He had matching pale skin, but he was lacking the freckles the girl had. He had on an off-white button up and brown khaki pants being held up with a black belt.  
Natalie seemed to jump out of her thoughts after Remus pulled out his wand and uttered a low Episkey and healed the girl’s small cut. She let out another strange sound as she pulled her hand out of Remus’ grasp quickly, studying her hand closely. She gave a horrified expression in Remus’ direction before her eyes caught something behind him.  
"Caspian!" The girl shouted once she seemingly came back to her senses, and she pulled Sirius into a hug. Sirius glanced around at his friends as the girl held onto him tightly, he awkwardly patted her back.

"As much as I usually like attention from the ladies," Sirius chuckled as the girl pulled away from him. "I have no idea who you are."

"Caspian, don't be ridiculous," The boy spoke going to stand in front of Sirius who looked flustered by the idea that these strangers knew him. "It's me, Edmund. And this is Lucy."

When Sirius's face remained stoic the two shared a look. "Surely you remember Susan." The young girl, Lucy, looked at Sirius with a sad smile. The young boy, Edmund, disregarded Lucy as he spoke again. "And what of Narnia? Just because you've no memory of us doesn't mean Aslan has forgotten."

"Narnia? Aslan?" Natalie spoke up. These two were surely out of their minds. "What in the bloody hell are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about our Kingdom," He shot the girl a look and she didn't miss a beat to send a scowl back. He turned back to his sister to speak. "If we haven't made it to Narnia, where are we?"

"There's no way we're still in London," Lucy sighed, her eyes flickering towards Sirius sadly. "I mean, we were nearly drowned by a magical painting and brought to a random castle. And where is Eustace?"

"You can see the castle?" James questioned in surprise. The two nodded and Natalie noticed Edmund begin to get uncomfortably restless. "So, you're a wizard and a witch?"

This question threw the pair off and they glanced at each other uneasily.

"Dumbledore may know what to do," Remus mumbled to Natalie and she rolled her eyes. Of course, Remus was right, but Natalie typically avoided Dumbledore's riddle-filled speeches. She simply grunted in agreement before speaking.

"Listen, we're not entirely sure what you're talking about, but we know someone who can help," The pair shared a look of agreement before Natalie muttered Tergeo and Scourgify to dry and clean their clothes along with Sirius’. Their eyes widened as the spell sent a warm gust of air through their clothes and hair and removed the mud and grime from the lake. She gave them a weird look before slowly turning to lead them into Hogwarts. Natalie heard them whispering behind her and she stole glances at the two of them every so often.

As the group made their way through the castle towards Dumbledore's office, they were shocked to see the gargoyle statue open the staircase at their presence. Natalie hesitantly stepped up the staircase and the others followed suit. As Natalie climbed the stairs and stepped into the office, she saw Dumbledore writing at his desk. Without looking up, he spoke to the group of students shuffling into the room.

"Ah, Mr. and Ms. Pevensie," His loud voice reverberated off the walls. "I've been expecting you."

"Us? How do you know us?" Edmund's voice held a hint of suspicion as he watched Dumbledore rise from his seat and step towards the two. Dumbledore smiled oddly at the two and offered his hand for Edmund to shake.

"Sir, where are we?" The boy questioned as he hesitantly shook the older man's hand.

"Hogwarts. In Scotland," The headmaster smiled softly. "But I think the appropriate question is when are you."

"Whatever do you mean?" Lucy's soft voice spoke up as she stepped forward to eye the man. Dumbledore hummed before sitting back at his desk and glancing around at the group lazily. "If we're in Scotland, what happened with the war?"

"What war?" Natalie asked the girl, their presence making her a bit uneasy.

"The allies against Nazi Germany," Edmund scoffed as if it were common knowledge. Natalie rolled her eyes and sighed.

"The Nazi's were defeated in 1945," Remus murmured softly. "That was before we were even born."

"Ah, yes Mr. Lupin," Dumbledore sighed. "It was before the five of you were born. Edmund was born in 1924, and his sister Lucy just one year later."

"Sir, with all due respect, I don't think a 49-year-old woman would look like that," Sirius let out a breathy laugh as his eyes scanned over Lucy once more. Her cheeks lit up red and Natalie swatted the back of Sirius' head to ease the poor girl's embarrassment. Natalie didn't miss the disgusted expression that swept across Edmund's face.

"Yes, Mr. Black," Dumbledore laughed lightly as he placed his hands flat on his desk before looking at the siblings intensely. "However, Ms. Pevensie is only 15. Yet, I'm sure they've done quite a bit of reality shifting in their lives."

"Reality shifting?" Natalie asked frantically, glancing around the room to take in the others’ reactions. "You mean to tell me they aren't from our reality?"

"Precisely, Ms. Potter," Dumbledore nodded. "The two standing beside you are quite fond of reality shifting. If I recall correctly, you are actually royalty in the realm of Narnia."

"How did you...?" Edmund gaped at the man, but Lucy held a glimmer in her eyes that made it seem as though she had met Dumbledore before.

"Until we discover how to get the two of you home, we need to get you sorted and settled," Dumbledore mumbled as he began to grab the sorting hat.

"Sorry sir, but what do you mean sorted and settled?" Lucy smiled softly as if to show she wasn’t intentionally questioning his authority. "Shouldn't we be finding out why we were called here and how we can get home?"

"While we do that, my dear, you will need to have a cover story so fewer people ask questions," Dumbledore smiled and patted the girl's shoulder gently before leading her and her brother to sit. “This hat will grasp an understanding of your personalities and desires. With that you will be sorted into one of the four houses. The four boys before you were sorted into Gryffindor, while Ms. Potter was sorted into Slytherin. The other two houses are Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Your house is essentially your family at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.”

The two siblings’ eyes widened as Dumbledore continued. “This may be shocking, but you both are capable of very powerful magic. Magic beyond anything you thought possible. But! Before I get ahead of myself, you must be sorted and someone from your house will explain the ins and outs of Hogwarts.”  
The five students watched with curiosity as the professor sat the sorting hat on Lucy's head.

"Gryffindor!" The hat shouted after a very short moment of silence. Natalie heard the boys laugh a bit behind her as Sirius quipped, "Called it!" Dumbledore sighed pleasantly as he pulled the hat from Lucy's head and replaced it on Edmund's. Natalie eyed the boy; she was almost sure he'd be a Gryffindor as well with how Dumbledore was treating him. Everyone could see the favoritism for the house that came from the old wizard. She especially had to endure it with her brother being in Dumbledore's precious Gryffindor house and her being in the widely hated Slytherin house. However, the hat's next words surprised her as it shouted:

"Slytherin!"


	3. settling in

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where Edmund doesn't pay attention and Natalie gets flustered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sillage /sēˈäZH/  
> noun  
> the degree to which a person's perfume's lingers in the air when worn

The castle was entirely too large, in Edmund’s opinion. He had been walking alongside Natalie—the first girl he met after emerging from the murky lake waters—in uncomfortable silence for more than five minutes and they had yet to finish the “tour,” as Dumbledore had called it. Dumbledore—the strange Headmaster that the Pevensie’s were taken to—gave Edmund a strange vibe; there was something about the old man that Edmund did not trust. He didn’t understand everything the man told them, and he felt queasy knowing the Headmaster had been awaiting their arrival.

After Dumbledore called for someone from Gryffindor house—Lily something or other—to show Lucy around, he opted for Natalie to show Edmund the ins-and-outs of Hogwarts seeing as she was in his house. Natalie had been trying to explain the different places they were visiting to Edmund, but he couldn’t find it in himself to pay attention. Usually escaping the grasp of reality was exciting, but Edmund couldn’t see anything particularly exciting about being in a school and he would much rather prefer the painting had taken them to Narnia as they assumed it would.

“Merlin,” Natalie’s sharp voice brought Edmund’s mind back to his current reality—much to his distaste. “Are you even paying attention?”

Edmund scowled. Of course he hadn’t been. “My name isn’t Merlin,” He scoffed disdainfully and didn’t miss the way the girl in front of him rolled her eyes.

“I know that, you tosspot,” Natalie’s scowl never left her face as she turned back to the classroom she had been showing him. Edmund sighed before actually turning to admire the room. Like every classroom, the walls were stone, but this one was unique due to the sole fact of the upper half of the walls being decorated with extravagant arches that added to the castlesque feel. Edmund turned his attention towards the classroom setting itself. There were three columns of six tables lined in the room all leading up to the main desk in the room with an overtly large chair sitting behind it facing the class. Before Edmund could say anything, a grey and black striped cat jumped onto the desk, catching his gaze. Natalie grabbed his forearm and tugged him into the room before she greeted the cat.

“Hullo, Professor,” The girl beamed at the cat. Edmund laughed at the girl in shock before she threw him a harsh look that shut him up. He huffed and tried to seem disinterested while Natalie continued talking. “We’ve got a new… exchange student? I’m sure Dumbledore will be informing all of the professors soon.”

“Are all of your professor’s animals?” Edmund smirked. “Or are you just insane? Surely, Dumbledore wouldn’t have left me with such a—”

Before Edmund could continue, the cat had transfigured into an older woman with a small pair of spectacles resting on the edge of her nose. She was dressed similarly to Dumbledore, but rather in all black instead of the grey robes the Headmaster was adorned in. The woman’s face seemed strict, but also comforting.

“What the—” Edmund’s face was pure shock and Natalie let out a sharp laugh before the professor scolded her.

“I’m Professor McGonagall. It seems you’ve got a lot to learn, Mr...?” The woman quirked an eyebrow gesturing for Edmund to introduce himself. The boy stumbled on his words a bit before telling her his name, still completely shocked that a cat became a woman. He could hear Natalie snickering from beside him, but he tried his best to calm down and react normally, sending her a deadly glare as discreetly as he could. “Well, Mr. Pevensie, it seems I am going to have a lot of trouble with the two of you in my class. Please do not allow Ms. Potter here to influence your stay.” McGonagall sent Natalie a pointed look and the girl fawned hurt.

“My, my, Minnie,” Natalie placed a hand to her chest and gasped with a dramatic look on her face, but Edmund could see a small smirk tug at her lips. “You’ve hurt my feelings.”

The professor coughed to hide a laugh and rolled her eyes. “Surely, Ms. Potter, you must be going to finish your tour.” Natalie opened her mouth with a smile, but the professor cut her off. “And please try to be on your best behavior for more than a mere five minutes.”

“Ah,” Natalie smirked as she began pulling a stunned Edmund back out of the classroom, her eyes never leaving McGonagall’s as they both left the room. Natalie peeked her head back inside the door. “Sorry, Minnie, but I promised other people I would be on my worst behavior, and I gave them my word, so…”

Natalie giggled as she quickly pulled Edmund into a different corridor. Edmund couldn’t help the smirk that fell onto his face as they walked breathlessly through the hallway.

Natalie led Edmund into the Slytherin Common Room after explaining the password ordeal. “And this is what we call our house’s ‘common room’. It’s basically just a place for our house to study, talk, party—you know, just basic things.” Natalie watched as Edmund nodded and his face held a bored expression as he glanced around the dungeon. “These stairs, are the boy’s dorms. I’m assuming you’ll share a room with some of the seventh-year boys seeing as you’re seventeen.”

Natalie could tell Edmund was trying his best to follow, but it’s not like stumbling into Hogwarts was necessarily an easy thing for him to grasp. He had to learn how the school worked, his place in the school, how to navigate the school, and don’t forget the years of magic that he had missed out on.

“I can help to explain things more later, if you want?” She paused to let Edmund reply, but when he didn’t, she sighed and continued. “Right now, I’ll take you to your dorm, introduce you to a few of the guys, you can get changed and then we’ll head to the Great Hall for dinner.”

Edmund gave a hesitant nod before Natalie began walking the steps to the boy’s dorms. Dumbledore had enchanted Edmund’s name on the door to his shared dorm so Natalie could find it. The writing fading after Edmund had entered the room.

“Natalie?” A boy in a bed straight across from them called out. He had a large smirk on his face as he greeted the girl. Edmund watched a grin appear on Natalie’s face. “Bloody hell, I know I’ve always invited you into my dorm, but you could have at least given me a warning.”

Natalie scowled at the boy as he stood. He was only in striped pajama pants that hung low on his hips and his black hair was messy, but in the way that movies depict messy hair, falling and standing perfectly so that his face was framed attractively. His build was muscular and toned from Quidditch. Edmund scowled when he saw Natalie’s neck turn pink. The boy pulled a shirt over his head before walking closer to the pair who had barely made it into the room.

“Shut up, Pucey,” Natalie rolled her eyes, her smile never leaving her face. “I’m here to help our new student get settled.”

“Lucky him,” Pucey grinned and offered Edmund his hand to shake. The boy did tentatively. “I’m Benjamin Pucey, but you can just call me Ben or Pucey.”

“Edmund Pevensie,” Edmund spoke quickly, dropping Benjamin’s hand. Benjamin eyed the boy once over before turning to the only bed that seemingly went untouched. It had a trunk at the end of it and a few books stacked behind it.

“Someone magicked that stuff up here earlier today, so we’ve sort of been expecting you,” A boy from a different bed called out. “I’m David Warrington, and that tosser is Alfred Montague,” He gestured to the other bed where a boy was twisting some sort of wooden stick between his fingers. Edmund nodded a short greeting to each boy. Natalie stepped forward to Edmund’s bed.

“These are your robes and I’m assuming Dumbledore has some different sets of uniforms in your trunk,” She mumbled thoughtfully as she opened the trunk and nodded when she found different arrangements of Slytherin uniforms: vests, ties, button ups, black trousers, scarves, shoes, etc. Beneath the Slytherin attire were many different clothes that seemed to be more comfortable clothes and things Natalie assumed Dumbledore intended the boy to wear to Hogsmeade and while he was relaxing outside of class. The trunk seemed to have an extension charm, because along with the clothes, Dumbledore had given the boy everything he needed in terms of school—quills, parchment, ink—hygiene, and more. “Ah, he seems to have everything you’ll need. That man is something else. Say, Warrington?”

“Hm?”

“When was this trunk ‘magicked’ here?” Natalie only half glanced at Edmund, but he saw the suspicion in her eyes.

“We woke up to it sitting there. And when I tell you we were disappointed—no offense mate,” Warrington nodded slightly in Edmund’s direction, “We used the two empty beds for random stuff we didn’t have room for.”

Natalie had stopped listening after Warrington explained the trunk had been there since early morning. “Surely he couldn’t have known you lot were going to show up…”

“He quite literally said he was expecting us,” Edmund deadpanned at the girl and Natalie scowled.

“Obviously, Pevensie,” She scoffed. “But how in the bloody hell does that man know everything?”

“Why are you asking me? I’ve been here for a total of two hours,” Natalie groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose, pushing her wire glasses up a bit as she sighed. Edmund smirked.

“Just change into your uniform and get ready for dinner,” She gestured to the trunk before turning to the entire room and talking louder to all the boys. “I’ll meet you lot in the common room for dinner in a few minutes. Hurry up.”

The boys murmured and waved her off as they all stood to get ready. Natalie’s eyes flashed back to Edmund who already had his shirt off and was beginning to unbutton his trousers. She felt her face heat up and she stumbled back to the door before hastily leaving and shutting the door a bit too loud. She flinched at the echo of the slam and had to pause to take a breath before trudging the steps back to the common room.

Edmund was left grinning as he pulled his uniform on, Natalie’s perfume still lingering in the air.


	4. evenings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where Sirius gets jealous, Natalie gets annoyed, and Edmund gets...sentimental.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: a bit of mentions of dark themes (disassociation, depression, etc.) proceed with care!
> 
> petrichor /ˈpeˌtrīkôr/  
> noun  
> the way the earth smells after it rains

“So, you mean to tell me you got to see the hot, new guy half-naked and you’re _upset_?” Natalie’s best friend, Sierra Watts, gaped at her. The blonde had stray curls falling every which way as she leaned forward and pressed the back of her hand to Natalie’s forehead. “Are you feeling alright?”

“You don’t understand,” Natalie sighed and made a point to shove Sierra’s hand away from her face dramatically. “He’s a total arse. Dumbledore forced me to give him a tour—never once did he pay attention!”

“Nat,” Sierra grinned as she playfully rolled her eyes. “You’ve basically described yourself.”

Natalie let out an exasperated groan as she flung her body back on Sierra’s bed. The blonde had been eating loads of candy before Natalie burst into the room and Natalie could feel the edges of plastic wrappers and cardboard boxes digging into her back. “Bugger off.”

“We’ve got a dinner to get to,” Sierra smirked as she rolled into a sitting position and bounced onto her feet. “And you’ve got to introduce me to this mysterious exchange boy.”

She sang the end of her sentence as she grabbed Natalie’s hand and dragged her out of the bed and out of their dorm. They were still in a half wrestling match as they stumbled on the stairs and entered the common room. As Natalie struggled against her grip—Sierra just barely winning out—her best friend groaned.

“Oh, come off it,” She sighed. “He can’t be that bad. And he’s new, give him a break.”

“Talking about me already, Potter?” Both girls froze as Edmund’s voice sounded just behind Sierra. Natalie let out a few whispered curses before she met his gaze, offering him a disgustingly sweet smile and a few flutters of her lashes sarcastically.

“Yeah, Pevensie, can hardly bare to be away from you for more than five minutes,” Natalie watched as Edmund’s smirk grew, a dangerous glint in his eyes. Her smile faltering at the edges for a moment when his mouth opened. She was sure he was going to say something else, until he was interrupted by Pucey clapping him on the shoulder.

“Would you look at that, Watts,” Pucey shared a grin with Sierra. “Seems the great Natalie Potter has met her match.”

“Oh, fuck off, Puce,” Edmund nearly gasped as he heard the word roll off Natalie’s tongue so easily. Where—or rather when—he came from, women didn’t speak like Natalie does. She was so quick witted and crude. The blonde Natalie was with seemed to have seen his reaction as she cocked her head to the side and glanced at him with nothing less than confusion.

“We don’t have time for this,” Natalie rolled her eyes. “Let’s go eat. I’m bloody starving.” Edmund watched as Pucey threw an arm over Natalie’s shoulder and followed Warrington and Montague as they left the common room. The blonde looped her arm through Edmund’s—which wasn’t completely out of the ordinary seeing as women in the 40s tended to do the same thing—and tugged him forward with the rest of the group.

“I’m Sierra Watts,” The blonde spoke, glancing up at Edmund, but he simply stared forward, not meeting her burning gaze. Natalie glanced back from a few feet ahead of him and they locked eyes for a fleeting moment. “I’m Natalie’s roommate.”

“I’m Edmund Pevensie,” He finally met Sierra’s eyes as they continued walking. He almost didn’t notice when she stepped even closer, pushing her body flush against his side. Almost. “Although, I’m sure Potter gave you a mouth full about me just a few moments ago.”

“Natalie has a way of letting certain things get under her skin,” Sierra spoke blatantly, obviously not concerned with Natalie overhearing. “You seem to be one of those things.”

Edmund didn’t get a chance to say anything before Sierra pulled him through the Great Hall doors. Natalie had shown him this particular room, but now it was full of bodies. Each table seemed to be adorned with a corresponding color—red, blue, yellow, green. The room that was once silent was now full of boisterous students and a deafening volume blanketed the room. Not caring in the slightest about the girl he shook off his arm, Edmund made his way closer to Natalie and gripped her arm.

“What?” She shot him a look and pulled her arm from his grasp.

“Where’s my sister?” The pair had to be closer than they wanted to be in order to hear each other. Natalie shrugged.

“She’ll be at the Gryffindor table if she’s come down for dinner,” Natalie seen the way Edmund’s eyes frantically searched the entirety of the room. “The red table.”

She pulled the boy in the direction of the Gryffindor tables and searched the crowd. When her eyes landed on Lucy, she noticed she was surrounded by a group of Gryffindor boys Natalie was familiar with. She led Edmund to his sister before taking a seat beside Sirius who barely noticed her presence as the boys were consumed in a conversation with the newfound Gryffindor girl.

“Well, Lucy,” She smiled at the auburn-haired girl who flashed a smile back. “Looks like these tossers aren’t leaving you alone.”

“It’s fine. I don’t mind,” She smiled, and Natalie noticed the blush that graced her cheeks. “Is Edmund with you?”

Natalie gestured to the boy standing behind Lucy and she turned. She swallowed Edmund into a hug. Despite his best efforts, Edmund smiled and gave Lucy a loose hug before pulling away. Natalie gave Sirius a look and a nudge so that he would move seats so Edmund could sit with his sister.

“Isn’t it great here? Everyone is so friendly,” Lucy beamed at her brother, glancing around at the boys at the table. Natalie couldn’t help the laughter in her throat when Edmund scowled. Lucy’s face softened as she gave Edmund a pointed look saying Be nice.

“Oh yeah,” Edmund fawned enjoyment. “This one—" He jutted a thumb in Natalie’s direction. “—is all rays and sunshine. Isn’t that right, Potter?”

Natalie rolled her eyes, shoving Edmund’s hand away. The Marauders—minus Sirius—let out a few snickers.

“Shove off. I’m nice to everyone except you,” She smirked. Sirius’ eyes squinted as he glanced between the two of them.

“Hey,” Lucy peeked past Edmund to make eye contact with Natalie. “Edmund can be a…challenge at first, but once you get to know him, he’s a real sweetheart,” Lucy smiled and gave Edmund’s arms a few pats.

“Lucy,” Edmund groaned. Natalie laughed. Sirius glared.

“Oi, wanker!” Natalie recognized Pucey’s shout from the Slytherin table as she turned to see him waving them over, two empty seats beside him and Sierra.

“Sorry, guys,” Natalie stood, pulling the shoulder of Edmund’s robes so that he would follow. “We’re being summoned.”

* * *

The Slytherin common room was nearly empty. Only two people sat in the room with Natalie, incessantly giggling from beside her. Although, she was hopeful they would leave within the next few minutes after the both of them echoed yawns back and forth, barely being able to hold their conversation before one of them let out a yawn and started the contagious merry-go-round once more.

Natalie was staring out a glass window into the depths of the Black Lake with a tired look on her face.

_Giggle_.

She wasn’t tired from lack of sleep really; she was simply tired. Tired of Hogwarts, tired of school, tired of pretending. She had stayed in the common room, after Sierra explained she was heading to bed and the group she titled her friends followed to their respective dorms, with the intent of thinking.

_Giggle_.

Thinking meant a lot of things to Natalie; she would think of everything, anything, and nothing. The waves of her consciousness coming in and out as the moon of her memory played with the currents. She often took time to think of her life before and after the purgatory that is Hogwarts. She couldn’t lie, her life seemed perfect—she knew others had it worse—but no matter how grateful she wanted to be, she couldn’t be. That thought in the back of her brain—itching persistently, reminding her every minute of every day—would never leave. Look at you, it’d say, becoming everything your parents didn’t want you to. It would often rejoice in the intrusive thought that was her younger brother. Good thing they tried for another, at least he won’t disappoint them.

_Giggle._

Once more, Natalie’s body went rigid. She supposed she should thank the girls. Their giggling had replaced her detrimental thoughts with those of malicious intent—directed at the pair which seemed to think giggling was their only means of communication. Natalie took it upon herself to rid her body of stress by using her hand as a therapeutic release, she watched the white wash over her knuckles, forcing herself to find resemblance between her knuckles and different, subjectively calming things, rather than focusing on the sting of her nails biting into the soft of her palms. Satin bedsheets, a flash of a camera, a sweat-drenched glass of milk, the moon’s reflection on water—

_Giggle_.

With a sigh, Natalie stood. She conjured up a tranquil breath, pulled her knees away from her chest—suddenly feeling exposed—and padded in her trainers towards the Astronomy tower. It was an interminable trek, nearly making Natalie think it was futile.

As she climbed the stairs, the burn in her legs spread—feeling as though her body was ardently aware of her pitifulness. _Go to bed_ , it told her, yet she persisted.

She pushed her way onto the balcony, the scorn of the bitter summer air felt warm and humid—in the worst way possible. She ignored it. She glanced around the tower intent on being alone—yet she knew she was alone; it was something she had grown accustomed to. She pressed her sore palms into the cool railing and leaned—not nearly far enough to fall, but enough to get a taste of what it may be like. Her hair dangled, blocking her peripheral vision, but not entirely. Cracks, as if those on the spine of an overused book, allowed the small bit of moonlight to slip past the strands of hair. Her eyes shut nearly on their own, her lungs expanded with a large sigh.

Living; she wondered what that truly meant. She leaned more.

Was living meant to be surviving? The rail dug into her upper abdomen, but she hardly noticed.

Or was living meant to be more? A breeze ran through the tower, brushing its fingers through her hair like a lover would.

Was she living? Surely not.

Natalie was particularly good at going through the motions; she avoided the people her parent’s figured were the wrong sort—they were, befriended people her parents approved of—they seemed to always be right, and done some thinking. Natalie did a lot of thinking. So much so that she escaped through her thoughts. So much so that she didn’t notice when the soft patter of rain began blanketing the tower. So much so that she barely registered a hand pulling her away from the railing.

“What are you doing?” Edmund peered down at her once she had been turned around fully. His eyes didn’t hold worry, simply curiosity.

Natalie shrugged. “Thinking,” she sighed. She ran her fingers through her hair to settle it. The back of her scalp was wet from the rain, but her hair seemed to be mostly dry. She squinted a bit. “What are you doing?”

“Following you, obviously,” Edmund said simply. “Does thinking always have to happen under the confines of near death?”

Natalie rolled her eyes. “You’ve obviously never been near death if that’s what you think that was.”

The rain got louder. The once caressing hand of the wind now only brought sticky droplets of warm water that chilled nearly as soon as they met skin under the breadth of the air. “You’d be surprised,” Edmund sighed.

Natalie noticed the unsaid words pass through him. The boy who had taken a seat to Natalie’s left came from one war straight into another, and he had no idea. Dumbledore reasoned with the other teenagers, asking them to try to shelter the teens from the dangers lurking just outside of Hogwarts. He explained that he didn’t want to worry the pair and assured the students that the two would be gone before long.

“Tell me about it,” The words were out before she could stop them, she just hoped the anxious skip of her heart would go unnoticed. Edmund didn’t spare her a glance. She was almost convinced she imagined herself speaking when he sat in silence for so long. She didn’t push him to speak, but she felt herself letting out the breath she didn’t know she was holding when he finally opened his mouth.

“I almost can’t,” His voice was quiet, but never wavered. “It’s something that—if you let yourself—you can almost pretend isn’t real, like a foul dream or something…” Quieter. “Almost.”

She understood more than she wanted to. Despite seeing the effects of the war nearly every day in the Daily Prophet, she could allow herself to forget, just for a few moments. When she first wakes, she has that short flicker of complete amnesia, like a comfort blanket surrounding her and whispering gentle nothings into her mind. No matter how hard she tries to tug the blanket up to her chin and bask in its warmth, it’s always pulled from her grasp, all that’s left is the cold realization that she is indeed alive and living—perhaps living isn’t the right word—through a war.

“I’m sure you’ve learned about the war at some point?” Edmund’s voice was still quiet, but it held less pain, more distraction. Natalie sighed. She did, but not in the way muggles do. Natalie had simply been told of the war. That muggles had taken it upon themselves to start another war and that millions of people were slaughtered.

“I know nothing more than the fact that it was stupid and reckless,” She couldn’t help the muggle phrase that caught in her throat. History repeats itself. For now, Natalie had done enough thinking. With a hesitant sigh, she rested her head against the wall and closed her eyes, begging for that solace of amnesia. The only thing she focused on was trying to smell the rain and earth surrounding them rather than the distinct smell of cinnamon and cologne.


	5. hallucinations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where Natalie sees a new side to Lucy, Sirius and James get detention, and Dumbledore makes a plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Negative body image, hints of body dysmorphia.

It was strange waking up in her own room. Unlike all the times before, as soon as Natalie woke up, she was confronted with the fear that it was not where she was supposed to be. The last thing she could remember was a hushed conversation with Edmund in the Astronomy Tower. So how did she end up back in her warm bed?

She assumed the sun hadn’t completely risen yet—a blanket of darkness was still cascading around the room. She could smell stark forest all around her, but that didn’t make sense. Her room was vanilla scented from the everlasting cycle of white candles that her roommate lit every day. She couldn’t find it in herself to become startled—she was _so tired._ There was a pressure right behind her eyes that made it hard for her to open them. Her mouth was dry and stiff, she didn’t dare try to speak, she could tell that if she did, she would cough relentlessly.

She wasn’t worried. Not like when this happened the first time. She realized the heaviness of her limbs, the inability to speak, the lost time—it all meant one thing. She’s not entirely sure what _it_ is. She knows they’re visions of some sort, but she can’t tell if they’re memories, predictions, past, future—she has no idea. She simply watches, waits, and hopes for it to be over.

Natalie somehow found it in herself to sit up on the bed, ignoring how tired she felt. She was in some sort of ship—the movements of the outside waves made it obvious, but she could also see strangely stereotypical pirate décor. The small cot she was in was one of many—there were hammocks above them, and the entirety of the room seemed to be a crews quarter. She never knew if she was playing a part or an out of body viewer. Sometimes she seemed to be playing a memory out in someone else’s body; she always said things without trying, her voice sounded different, but she was never able to see faces. She honestly chalked it all up to a vivid imagination—strange lucid dreaming of some sort, but it all felt _so real._

The boat jerked beneath her and sent her flying forward, she had to grab onto a hammock above her head to stay standing. She decided to just go with it. The person she was embodying walked up the narrow steps, their hand pushing the trap door open with ease. The wood was polished, but she felt different places where it was peeling. It was glorious.

The sun was high in the sky—the darkness from before being a façade under water. The boat was buzzing with people— pirates? —she didn’t know, truthfully. They were all moving perfectly around one another to do whatever tasks they had that day. There was a group laughing and practicing sword fights, but before she could even think about going over there, the body turned to walk up the deck.

The head of the boat was a dragon—it was beautiful and massive and perfect. Just being here made Natalie exponentially happier. There was an energy in the air, peaceful, loving, _home_ , everything that was in danger of disappearing in her own life. She felt her body reaching forward to grasp on the front of the deck, leaning forward almost identically to how she had that night, only this time she felt herself pushing up with her arms, extending her body, and inhaling the sweet smell of the sea as wind whipped her hair behind her.

It was then that she noticed her hands were a pale white, vastly different from the brown skin she was accustomed to. There were freckles along her wrists and up her forearms. The hands came up to flip her hair back out of her face before bringing it back over her shoulders. It was an auburn brown, red in the sunlight. She could hear someone speaking behind her, feel her lips moving as she spoke back, but she couldn’t make any of it out. She strained, begged the body to turn, but her eyeline stayed focused on the horizon they seemed to be sailing towards. She could hear the other person as they left, their footsteps echoing louder than their voice had. The body stood there a few more moments until she finally turned to make her way back off the deck.

Natalie imagined that she was simply going to go back to the room she woke up in, but this time she walked straight over the trap door. She was now at the back of the boat where the back deck was. The pale hands opened the door to the rooms built under the deck and Natalie was shocked. The room was more feminine than any other place she’s seen on the boat. The windows allowed sunshine in, but the glass refracted the light into a colorful rainbow, lighting the room up with spots of color. The entire room was decorated with white and coral, seashells hung up on the walls, glass bottles sitting in one corner with paintbrushes and pencils sticking out of them.

Natalie desperately wanted to examine every corner of the room, but the girl’s body made a beeline to the full body mirror on the wall. Natalie was limited to what the girl wanted to look at. She watched, patiently, as she saw the girl hug her stomach with her forearms. She pulled back, pressing her hands flat against her stomach, pushing hard to watch it go flat. When her fingertips graced over her sides, she pushed roughly with her hands to create a curve between her ribs and her hips.

Natalie knew in reality that this girl’s body was beautiful, but she was forced to feel the prickles of disgust that the girl felt about herself. The hands came back to her stomach before she ran them flat down it and her thighs. The feeling of complete repulsiveness that the girl felt while examining her body wasn’t something new to Natalie, but she couldn’t find it in herself why this girl would think she was anything less than perfect.

The girl sighed, pressing the palms of her hands to her eyes. Natalie felt the dread she felt, but she tried desperately to ignore it. The girl took a deep breath and uncovered her eyes to examine her face in the mirror.

It was suddenly a very familiar set of blue eyes staring back at her. Natalie usually never recognized anyone from these…dreams? Visions? Though, here she was, Lucy Pevensie staring right back at her. Lucy opened her mouth.

“Natalie?”

She jumped. Her limbs weren’t heavy any longer, her mouth felt fine, she was back in the Astronomy Tower. Despite the warmth right beside her, the air was freezing, biting at her nose and cheeks. Her jerk must’ve awakened Edmund when he suddenly jumped up as well, pulling her arm so that he could see her face.

It was a reflex; she could see the moment realization hit him and he pulled away from her just as quickly. “What’s wrong?”

“Just a dream…” Natalie muttered, standing quickly, pulling her robe taut around her body. It was still dark outside. She had no idea what time it was. “I’m going to go.”

“Seems like the best idea,” Edmund groaned as he rubbed his eyes. Natalie didn’t say anything else as she ran back to her dorm.

She didn’t know what was happening. She had never recognized people. Never. That time, the dream was so completely real that she could still feel the prickling pain in her skin where Lucy had pressed her fingers in the mirror. She couldn’t tell anyone. What would she say that wouldn’t sound completely insane?

Natalie would be forever grateful that it was an early Saturday morning. All she wanted to do was run straight to her real bed and sleep off the ache in her muscles from the concrete she had been sitting on all night.

* * *

It was late lunch and Natalie’s almost certain that she knows exactly what happened. Sirius and James were covered, head-to-toe in what looks to be soot mixed with—glitter? She doesn’t need to be told that they either executed a prank perfectly or tried and failed—hence the mess. She doesn’t even say anything as Edmund makes her take him to the Gryffindor table once more—he seems to be too uncomfortable around in the castle without Natalie there with him.

Natalie takes the same seat she had at dinner last night, between Edmund—who had Lucy on his other side—and Sirius with James, Pete, and Remus across from them. Remus and Pete seem unphased by their arrival, but Sirius and James stared straight at Natalie as she filled her plate.

“Aren’t you going to ask?” James’ grin was entirely too mischievous for Natalie’s liking as he propped his elbow on the table, resting his chin in his palm. When Natalie glanced at Sirius, he was already staring back at her with wide eyes and a toothy grin.

“I’d really rather not,” Natalie muttered and shrugged as she took a bite into her sandwich. Edmund and Lucy were watching the three with furrowed brows, completely unaware of the famous Marauder reputation.

“Lucy,” Sirius spoke up, glancing around the others so he could see the redhead. She hummed in response. “Be a doll and ask James and I what happened, please?”

“You really don’t want to, Lucy,” Natalie smiled sweetly at the girl, a patronizing look flashing across her features as she mocked sincerity. “They just want attention, and there’s no reason to give it to them.”

Lucy seemed very put out; she clearly wanted to ask the boys what had happened, but Natalie scared her a bit, and she really wanted her to like her.

“She’s kidding, Luce,” James piped up, leaning over the table a bit in a strange attempt to get closer to the four on the other side. James directed his next sentence at his sister. “Even if you don’t ask, you twat, we’re going to tell you.”

“Padfoot and I very cleverly came up with the idea of a potion that would make the Slytherins—”

“Nae the two of you, _of course_ —” Sirius interrupted. Somehow, Natalie didn’t believe them. They had never been above pranking her—actually they preferred to prank her the most.

“Of course! We’re not scoundrels!” James grinned when he saw Natalie roll her eyes.

“Back to the potion, Prongs!” Sirius ushered his friend to continue.

“Anyways, the potion would make the lot of them throwing up glitter for hours.”

“They wouldn’t be able to open their mouths without glitter falling out!” Sirius howled as if it were the funniest thing that could happen.

“Wow,” Natalie deadpanned. “How very mischievous of you. The Slytherins won’t know what hit them!”

At Natalie’s mock excitement, James visibly pouted. “And I think it’s safe to assume the both of you messed the potion up and it exploded all over you.”

“After I told them they would have to wait until this weekend, they tried to take it upon themselves to research and plan it all. Clearly that works perfectly for them,” Remus smirked at their dingy, yet weirdly sparkly appearance. Like Natalie thought, he was a real backbone for their pranks.

“It would have worked just fine, but Sluggy found us in the potion room and Padfoot jumped so high he knocked an entire bowl of crushed unicorn horns off the shelf and straight into our cauldron,” James sent Sirius a dirty look.

“Oh cheer up, Prongs,” Sirius grinned back, ignoring the way James seemed genuinely annoyed. “You get to spend a week in detention with Hogwart’s most eligible bachelor.”

* * *

Before lunch had ended, Dumbledore sent for Natalie, Remus, and the Pevensie siblings. They were meant to meet him in his office directly after lunch so he could explain how they were meant to go about the Pevensie’s cover story and more importantly their magical education. Despite Dumbledore expressly stating that they would be back home in no time, he seemed very adamant in training the Pevensie’s in magic.

That’s why only twenty minutes later, the four students stood before Dumbledore in his office.

“Good afternoon. I’m sure you’ve been curious as to how we will be going about your education during your time here at Hogwarts. Obviously, the two of you possess the capabilities of magic, otherwise you would have never even made it into the castle to begin with. Tonight I will floo with you both to get your wands, and tomorrow you will begin your daily trainings with Mr. Lupin and Ms. Potter.”

The plan seemed completely set-in stone, and despite Natalie wanting to ask Dumbledore to get someone else to teach Edmund, she felt it too selfish. Plus, Remus and she were the most obvious choices for this task, but she just really didn’t want to spend more time with Edmund than she had to. She bit her tongue to stop herself from complaining.

“If there are no questions, I expect you all back here tomorrow after lunch to begin your tutoring sessions,” Dumbledore left the conversation open for questions for a moment, but when everyone remained silent, he dismissed Remus and Natalie, and pulled the Pevensie’s over to his fireplace.


End file.
